Hi folks,
Creating a new game is always a challenge, especially when you're fortunate enough to have a dedicated fan base. Such support brings high expectations, and the pressure to meet them can indeed be overwhelming. Remembering why you embarked on this journey is crucial, particularly when the path becomes tough, and the workload seems insurmountable. But honestly, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything, not even for a million-dollar buyout. It's been a few weeks since our last update, and I'm thrilled to share some of the key developments that have kept me busy.
Back to the future
But before we dive into that, I'd like to take you back in time to better understand what this game means to me. Feel free to skip ahead if you prefer; if not, let's take a stroll down memory lane together. About a decade back, when I developed my first game: Erannorth the Unfinished Tales. It's unlikely that you played or heard it. Anyway, it was a browser-based game in PHP and JQuery, and the login page proudly stated:
"Erannorth the Unfinished Tales is a Choose Your Own Adventure that incorporates RPG elements and takes place in the open-ended world of Elos. Your character chooses how their adventures will turn out and which adventures they will play."
Does the concept sound familiar? Both its writing and my English back then totally sucked, but it was still fun to play according to the close-knit community it formed. Most choose-your-own-adventure games lock you to a single story, so back then, the idea of Unfinished Tales was to take your very same character across many different stories in the same world, more like an RPG game would.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the finances to support its sole server running back then, and it never kicked off. But I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life: making games. The obvious solution was a single-player game. The problem is that as a web developer, I needed to gain more knowledge or experience in Unity or C#, so I started with something simple instead. This brought us to Erannorth Reborn, an offline single-player game and my first game on Steam. It did evolve into an exciting breed of an RPG-lite card game, but it was not the game of my dreams.
Enter Erannorth Chronicles. The hardest part was working on Reborn's spaghetti code and convoluted systems and trying to bring it closer to the vision of my dream game and its new player base. Having significantly more experience and exceptionally more extended development time than Reborn, it became something much closer.
Something that these lyrics by Eminem describe perfectly, so I quote:
"Who dress like me; walk, talk and act like me
It might be the next best thing, but not quite me!"
Is the third time the charm? I certainly hope so. We are still far from the release date, but it feels nice each week brings us a step closer to Erannorth Renaissance.
So, what have I been up to since we last talked? Let's see. Having developed the ability to trigger willingly or automatically fixed stories or events, the next step was to add a more dynamic factor.
Dynamic World and Events
I've introduced a new system that makes the world around you feel more alive and unpredictable. You may encounter events specific to your terrain as you explore different areas. Whether you stumble upon a hidden treasure in the forest or encounter a wandering merchant in the desert, the game world reacts to where you are and what you're doing. Behind the scenes, after the terrain is chosen, you are directed to a hub full of hand-written events specific to that terrain, and one of them is chosen randomly based on the time of day or other factors.
This is how it appears in Unity's Dialogue System plugin which I am using to create the stories.
First we choose the Hub based on the terrain.
Then we proceed to the hub and select a random event from those that meet the requirements. As you can see, out of these 30 woodlands events, only two are half-done. However, this approach offers extremely high scalability, as adding new events is simply a matter of adding a few nodes, and they will automatically integrate into the game.
The same is true as you navigate urban areas. You may encounter the NPCs who reside there within or outside their schedule, initiate their introduction event, or, if you already know them, further advance your relationship.
Items and Equipment
I've added dozens of new attire, armor, and weapon items to the game to provide gear that complements your play style and role-playing experience. Items in Erannorth Renaissance can offer passive and skill bonuses and new actions you can use in and out of combat.
This is how the weapons look in the in-game editor; there are about 264 at the moment.
They are usable but lack what makes them truly interesting: passive bonuses, their actual effects like whether they'll inflict vulnerability or bleeding, and any bonus actions that accompany them. So, they are still a long way from being finalized, but they provide me with an idea of the kinds of weapons and actions to tinker with, allowing them to show up in merchants' inventories or the loot tables, etc.
You can also collect "physical" copies of books and read them at your convenience.
"Let's first grab a few items from Ennathil's supplies."
Let's see what this book is about!
NPC Personalities and Interactions
I introduced a new system for your NPC interactions powered by distinct personality tags. Your choices will influence NPCs differently based on their personality type.
I also started implementing various interactions with the NPCs other than socializing. Ie. You can now barter and trade with anyone.
Based on their net worth, NPCs can carry an assortment of items. You'll never know what you may find.
All these are just checks to naturally facilitate various interactions, such as bartering, and pave the way for more complex actions down the road, like recruiting characters to your party, or feeding if you're playing as a vampire, among others.
NPCs and your choices could fall into the following archetypes:
Guardians protect order and tradition, always ready to defend those in their care. Their leadership shines in crisis situations, where their calm and organized approach brings reassurance and unity. For example, faced with a threat, a Guardian might rally the community with resolve, saying, "Fear not, for we stand united. Follow my lead, and we shall protect our home and kin together."
Empaths are the heart and soul of any group, intuitively connected to the emotions of those around them. They excel in offering comfort and understanding, making them invaluable in times of distress. When a character is in sorrow, for instance, an Empath would offer a shoulder and a kind word: "I can't begin to understand your pain, but I'm here for you, to listen or just sit in silence, whatever you need."
Trailblazers are adventurers, always eager to explore the unknown and innovate. Their fearless spirit and curiosity drive them to discover and lead, making the path where none existed before. Confronted with the mystery of an uncharted territory, a Trailblazer's eyes light up with the promise of adventure: "There's a mystery in these woods waiting to be discovered. Let's see what secrets lie hidden beyond!"
Visionaries are dreamers, constantly looking to the future and imagining how it could improve. Their big ideas and aspirations inspire those around them to think beyond the present. Gazing upon a neglected part of the city, a Visionary might share their dream: "Imagine this place not as it is, but what it could be—a beacon of prosperity and unity for all."
Beacons are charismatic leaders who inspire hope and confidence. Their optimism and ability to motivate others make them natural leaders in any endeavor, guiding their followers toward a brighter future. A Beacon would lift spirits in the face of adversity, proclaiming: "Let our spirits not be dampened by the shadows. In unity, there is light strong enough to dispel any darkness. Follow me to victory!"
Enigmas are mysterious figures whose depths are hidden behind a veil of secrecy. They reveal their true selves only to those they deem worthy, making their trust valuable. Sharing a glimpse into their hidden depths, an Enigma might confide: "There are reasons for my solitude, secrets from a past that haunts me. Perhaps, in time, I'll share my story with you."
This system is all about immersion and works behind the scenes. You won't encounter colored labels or influence numbers to guide your decisions. It's about your genuine choices and their consequences on your journey through Erannorth.
There aren't wrong or correct choices. Based on your choice and the personality of the person you speak with, your influence may increase or decrease by an amount that now depends on your compatibility as characters. For example, an Empath choice might find common ground with a Guardian's protective nature or a Beacon's communal focus. Still, it may struggle to resonate with an Enigma.
As a player, you aren't locked to a fixed personality type. You can choose whichever option best reflects your RP at any given moment. This system fosters complex and nuanced behaviors, creating a world where personalities interact in realistic and multifaceted ways without you realizing it's the case. Which I hope will make your adventures more enjoyable.
At the end of the day, there are interactions that are only available to your rivals or enemies, so you really don't need to be nice to everyone. Even if you are, not everyone may appreciate you snooping into their affairs.
Let's try to be nice and choose option 1.
While this may work for some NPCs, she is a tough audience.
The elephant in the room
So, when will it be released? I wish I could tell you. The coding and functionality needed to host the content for a 'minimum viable product', suitable for early access, are complete. However, the content itself is not fully there yet. So, the answer is, of course, 'when it's ready.' We can all hope that will be sometime in 2024.
That's all for today folks! If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to comment below!